


No Fault in being Free

by OrigamiRabbit



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, I needed to vent at the time, M/M, literally just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-01
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-15 19:23:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2240568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrigamiRabbit/pseuds/OrigamiRabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I needed to vent after watching Free! Eternal Summer episode 9. So this is a little MakoHaru thing that takes place just after the events of episode 9. I needed something cute, and reassuring Makoto seemed like the right thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Fault in being Free

He couldn’t do this.

“Haru-chan!”

It was too much.

“Haru-chan, wait!”

He was drowning.

“Haru-chan…”

Makoto grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. The taller boy attempted to get him to turn around, to face him, but Haru refused. He was looking at the tiled floor, listening to the sounds of cheers and excited conversation.

“Haru-chan, talk to me.” Makoto spoke, sadness in his voice. They’d seen him. They’d seen everything, heard everything. He hated that. He just wanted to run away, why couldn’t he run away. Haru’s gaze slide slowly to Makoto’s hand, still holding onto his arm. Afraid to let go. “It’s fine.” Haru replied plainly, still looking at Makoto’s hand. He tried to pull himself free, but his friend was insistent, pulling on his arm to make him turn to face him fully. Still he refused to look at his face. “I said I would swim in the relay. So it’s fine.” And he meant it, he would swim in the relay. It was the one thing he really wanted to do at this point, to swim with his friends, to forget about the scouts sizing him up like some prized horse.

_We can’t let such talent go to waste._

Haru winced at the memory, Makoto noticing and placing his free hand on his shoulder. “Haru-chan, it’s not fine. We can all see that. You’ve not been fine for a while now.” Haru clicked his tongue in annoyance gaze switching to look off to the side, the pool just visible from where they were. All he could think about was Rin’s expression, the way he had shouted. He didn’t feel bad about it. Not yet. All he could feel was the pressure, the thoughts of everyone – what must they be thinking? ‘What a let down.’ ‘How disappointing.’ ‘Such a waste.’ ‘What’s he doing? I thought he wanted to race.’

But so what? He didn’t want to be set on track for a profession that didn’t interest him. He only swam free. He only swam free and relay. He swam with his friends. For his friends, himself. Not so some scout would spot him. So he would get calls from colleges begging him to come to them. No. No, no, no.

He wanted to be free.

“Haru-chan.”

Makoto spoke again, refusing to let up, to let him go. He was worried. He’d never seen him like this, Haru, he was usually so quiet. Haru who didn’t really speak much. Who kept to himself. Dealt with his emotions.

Haru who had snapped at his friend, who had stopped in the middle of a race, who had choked.

Haru who was lost.

He grit his teeth. He was frustrated and angry. He hated how everyone expected such ‘great things’ from him. This time Haru yanked his arm away from Makoto with force, turning around to start walking off again. He didn’t want to see the look of hurt on Makoto’s face. He didn’t want to let him down, his friends down. “I said I’m fine.” He repeated, though the conviction was leaving him. “We have to get ready for the relay. We should go.” He started to walk away.

“Haru-chan, don’t.”

He paused, hearing Makoto following behind him, stop just short. He could feel the heat from his body. Makoto was always so comforting. “It’s okay.”

The breath caught in Haru’s throat.

“You don’t have to swim just because of what others say or want.” He felt the exhale of breath from Makoto hit the back of his neck. “You must have been going through so much.” A sad laugh. “I’m sorry I didn’t really notice. You were always so intent on swimming free. It’s okay to not want to follow others rules or demands.”

Makoto stepped closer behind him, his arms reached around him, enveloping him in his comforting embrace. Haru released his breath his eyes closing as Makoto covered them with one of his hands, his head resting on his shoulder. Haru let himself lean back into the taller boy.

“You don’t have to force yourself, Haru-chan. We don’t have to do the relay. We can just leave. It’s okay.” He was speaking softly, almost a whisper. Haru turned around, now looking up at Makoto with difficulty, given how close they were, Makoto’s arms still wrapped around him.

“I want to swim the relay.” He buried his face, hiding the sad expression against Makoto’s chest. Had they ever done this? “I want to swim with you, Makoto. I want to swim with everyone.” His eyes screwed shut. He couldn’t stop the tears streaming down his face. Makoto had a way of getting him to let his guard down. What he had been saying. Everything he’d said. “It’s just so hard.” He quietly muttered, fingers sliding down Makoto’s back and balling into fists. Makoto ran a hand over his hair, still wet. “I know.” He replied, “but I’m glad.” He smiled, “Hey Haru-chan? Don’t let anyone tell you what you should be doing.”

Haru pushed Makoto back ever so slightly, his hand placed on his chest. Looking down at the ground, “Makoto…” He reached up his hand, sliding his fingers behind his neck, he paused for a second, simply looking at Makoto’s face. Observing all the small details, forgetting about everything that had happened, letting his worries melt away into nothing as he draw himself up to Makoto’s height. A look of surprise crossed Makoto’ face, red burning across his cheeks, but he didn’t move away. Haru was standing on his tiptoes, bringing Makoto to him, their lips connecting. Warmth filled him, his pulse racing as he melted into Makoto. It was only for a few seconds, and he wanted more as their noses touched, everything else around them insignificant. “Haru…”

Haru fell back on his heels, head burying in Makoto’s chest again to hide the fierce blush that had spread across his face. “Thank you…”

_I love you._


End file.
